1.

1 Average and Instantaneous Velocity

Essential Question:
What is the relationship between a moving object’s position, average velocity, and in-
stantaneous velocity?
What is Calculus?

Calculus is the study of change. Suppose we toss a ball straight up in the air from an
initial height. We can use calculus to answer questions such as:

• What is the ball’s maximum height?

• When does it reach this height?
• How quickly is it moving at any given moment in time?
• When is it at rest?
• When is it moving fastest/slowest?
• How quickly is it gaining speed?
• How far does it travel?

IB Math Analysis & Approaches SL 1/12

Preview Activity 1.1.1

Suppose the height, s, of a ball at time t seconds is given by the formula

s(t) = 64 − 16(t − 1)2 , where s(t) is measured in feet.

1. Construct an accurate graph of y = s(t) on the time interval 0 ≤ t ≤ 3. Label at

least six distinct points on the graph, including the three points that correspond
to when the ball was released, when the ball reaches its highest point, and when
the ball lands.
2. In everyday language, describe the behavior of the ball on the time interval
0 < t < 1 and on the time interval 1 < t < 3. What occurs at the instant t = 1?

IB Math Analysis & Approaches SL 2/12

Preview Activity 1.1.1

Suppose the height, s, of a ball at time t seconds is given by the formula

s(t) = 64 − 16(t − 1)2 , where s(t) is measured in feet.

1. Construct an accurate graph of y = s(t) on the time interval 0 ≤ t ≤ 3. Label at

least six distinct points on the graph, including the three points that correspond
to when the ball was released, when the ball reaches its highest point, and when
the ball lands. (0, 48), (0.5, 60), (1, 64), (1.5, 60), (2, 48), (3, 0). The ball was
released at (0, 48), reaches its maximum height at (1, 64), and lands at (3, 0).
2. In everyday language, describe the behavior of the ball on the time interval
0 < t < 1 and on the time interval 1 < t < 3. What occurs at the instant t = 1?
On (0, 1) the ball is increasing at a decreasing rate; on (1, 3) the ball is decreasing
at an increasing rate.

IB Math Analysis & Approaches SL 2/12

Preview Activity 1.1.1

Suppose the height, s, of a ball at time t seconds is given by the formula

s(t) = 64 − 16(t − 1)2 , where s(t) is measured in feet.
s(1) − s(0.5)
3. Consider the expression AV[0.5,1] = .
1 − 0.5
(a) Compute the value of AV[0.5,1] .
(b) What does this value measure geometrically?
(c) What does this value measure physically?
(d) In particular, what are the units on AV[0.5,1] ?

IB Math Analysis & Approaches SL 3/12

Preview Activity 1.1.1

Suppose the height, s, of a ball at time t seconds is given by the formula

s(t) = 64 − 16(t − 1)2 , where s(t) is measured in feet.
s(1) − s(0.5)
3. Consider the expression AV[0.5,1] = .
1 − 0.5
(a) Compute the value of AV[0.5,1] . 8
(b) What does this value measure geometrically? the slope of the secant line passing
through points (0.5, 60) and (1, 64)
(c) What does this value measure physically? the average velocity of the ball on the
interval from t = 0.5 to t = 1
(d) In particular, what are the units on AV[0.5,1] ? feet per second

IB Math Analysis & Approaches SL 3/12

Position and Average Velocity

Average Velocity

An object moving in a straight line has position s(t) at time t. The average
velocity of the object on the interval from t = a to t = b is given by:

s(b) − s(a)
AV[a,b] = .
b−a

In other words, average velocity is the change in position (displacement) divided by

the change in time. The units for average velocity are the units of s per unit of t.

IB Math Analysis & Approaches SL 4/12

Activity 1.1.2

Let s(t) = 64 − 16(t − 1)2 represent the position (in feet) of a ball at time t seconds.

1. Compute the average velocity of the ball on each time interval, using appropriate
units.

(a) AV[0.4,0.8] = (e) AV[0.8,1.2] =

(b) AV[0.7,0.8] = (f) AV[0.8,0.9] =

(c) AV[0.79,0.8] = (g) AV[0.8,0.81] =

(d) AV[0.799,0.8] = (h) AV[0.8,0.801] =

IB Math Analysis & Approaches SL 5/12

Activity 1.1.2

Let s(t) = 64 − 16(t − 1)2 represent the position (in feet) of a ball at time t seconds.

1. Compute the average velocity of the ball on each time interval, using appropriate
units.

(a) AV[0.4,0.8] = 12.8 ft/s (e) AV[0.8,1.2] = 0 ft/s

(b) AV[0.7,0.8] = 8 ft/s (f) AV[0.8,0.9] = 4.8 ft/s

(c) AV[0.79,0.8] = 6.56 ft/s (g) AV[0.8,0.81] = 6.24 ft/s

(d) AV[0.799,0.8] = 6.416 ft/s (h) AV[0.8,0.801] = 6.384 ft/s

IB Math Analysis & Approaches SL 5/12

Activity 1.1.2

Let s(t) = 64 − 16(t − 1)2 represent the position (in feet) of a ball at time t seconds.

2. Sketch the line that passes through points

A = (0.4, s(0.4)) and B = (0.8, s(0.8)).
3. What is the meaning of the slope of this line?
4. In light of this meaning, what is a geometric
way to interpret each of the values computed
in number 1?

IB Math Analysis & Approaches SL 6/12

Activity 1.1.2

Let s(t) = 64 − 16(t − 1)2 represent the position (in feet) of a ball at time t seconds.

2. Sketch the line that passes through points

A = (0.4, s(0.4)) and B = (0.8, s(0.8)).
3. What is the meaning of the slope of this line?
the average velocity of the ball from time
t = 0.4 to t = 0.8 seconds
4. In light of this meaning, what is a geometric
way to interpret each of the values computed
in number 1? the slope of the secant line
passing through two endpoints

IB Math Analysis & Approaches SL 6/12

Activity 1.1.2

Let s(t) = 64 − 16(t − 1)2 represent the position (in feet) of a ball at time t seconds.

5. Plot the graph of s(t) on an interval containing

the value t = 0.8. Then, zoom in repeatedly
on the point (0.8, s(0.8)). What do you
observe about how the graph appears as you
view it more and more closely?
6. What do you conjecture is the velocity of the
ball at the instant t = 0.8? Why?

IB Math Analysis & Approaches SL 7/12

Activity 1.1.2

Let s(t) = 64 − 16(t − 1)2 represent the position (in feet) of a ball at time t seconds.

5. Plot the graph of s(t) on an interval containing

the value t = 0.8. Then, zoom in repeatedly on
the point (0.8, s(0.8)). What do you observe
about how the graph appears as you view it
more and more closely? it appears to be linear
6. What do you conjecture is the velocity of the
ball at the instant t = 0.8? Why? 6.4 ft/s
since the slopes are approaching this value as
we shrink the interval

IB Math Analysis & Approaches SL 7/12

Instantaneous Velocity

Average velocity measures a change in position over a given time interval.

If we let that time interval become shorter and shorter, then we approach
instantaneous velocity, the velocity at a specific moment in time.

If we take the average velocity on smaller and smaller time intervals, and the values
approach a single number, then that number will be the instantaneous velocity at that
point in time.

IB Math Analysis & Approaches SL 8/12

Activity 1.1.3

Each of the following questions concern s(t) = 64 − 16(t − 1)2 .

(a) Compute the average velocity of the ball on the time interval [1.5, 2]. What is
different between this value and the average velocity on the interval [0, 0.5]?
(b) Use appropriate technology to estimate the instantaneous velocity of the ball at
t = 1.5 and t = 2. Which value is greater?
(c) How is the sign of the instantaneous velocity of the ball related to its behavior at
a given point in time? That is, what does positive instantaneous velocity tell you
the ball is doing? Negative instantaneous velocity?
(d) Without doing any computations, what do you expect to be the instantaneous
velocity of the ball at t = 1? Why?

IB Math Analysis & Approaches SL 9/12

Activity 1.1.3

Each of the following questions concern s(t) = 64 − 16(t − 1)2 .

(a) Compute the average velocity of the ball on the time interval [1.5, 2]. What is
different between this value and the average velocity on the interval [0, 0.5]?
AV[1.5,2] = −24; AV[0,0.5] = 24
(b) Use appropriate technology to estimate the instantaneous velocity of the ball at
t = 1.5 (−16) and t = 2 (−32). Which value is greater?
(c) How is the sign of the instantaneous velocity of the ball related to its behavior at
a given point in time? That is, what does positive instantaneous velocity tell you
the ball is doing? increasing Negative instantaneous velocity? decreasing
(d) Without doing any computations, what do you expect to be the instantaneous
velocity of the ball at t = 1? Why? 0; the ball is momentarily at rest

IB Math Analysis & Approaches SL 9/12

Instantaneous Velocity

To find instantaneous velocity at time t = a, we can compute the average velocities

on [a, b], letting b get closer and closer to a.

Instead of writing the interval as [a, b], we can write [a, a + h], where h is the change
in time. If we want make the time interval smaller, we simply decrease the value of h.
In other words, we let h approach 0.

Hence, we can use

s(a + h) − s(a) s(a + h) − s(a)
AV[a,a+h] = =
(a + h) − a h

to approximate the instantaneous velocity at time t = a by choosing smaller and

smaller values of h.

IB Math Analysis & Approaches SL 10/12

Activity 1.1.4

For the function given by s(t) = 64 − 16(t − 1)2 , find the most simplified expression
for the average velocity of the ball on the interval [2, 2 + h].

Use your result to compute the average velocity on [1.5, 2] and to estimate the
instantaneous velocity at t = 2.

s(b) − s(a)
AV[a,b] =
b−a

AV[2,2+h] =
=
=

IB Math Analysis & Approaches SL 11/12

Activity 1.1.4

s(b) − s(a)
AV[a,b] =
b−a

s(2 + h) − s(2) s(2 + h) − 48

AV[2,2+h] = =
2+h−2 h
64 − 16(2 + h − 1)2 − 48 16 − 16(h + 1)2
= =
h h
16 − 16(h2 + 2h + 1) −16h2 − 32h
= = = −16h − 32
h h
t = 2 at h = 0 therefore IV |t=2 = −16(0) − 32 = −32.

IB Math Analysis & Approaches SL 11/12

 Acknowledgements:
This material was adapted by Michelle Krummel from the online text Active Calculus
by Matthew Boelkins and is used under CC BY-SA 4.0.

IB Math Analysis & Approaches SL 12/12